African-American History Teacher Resources

Six lesson plans in the Black History Month collection introduce middle and high schoolers to nonviolent actions as a means to resist oppression and encourage reform. Lessons look at the Children’s March, music, and citizenship schools...

Scavenger hunts provide students with an opportunity to develop their internet skills while they learn about famous African Americans. Included are four scavenger hunts, one each for grades 1-4, 5-6, 7-8, and 9-12. Researchers search the...

Seven lessons make up a unit about African Americans who served in the United States Congress from 1870 to 2007. Young historians read contextual essays, engage in activities, examine primary source images, and artifacts to gain an...

The lessons in the "Beyond Rosa Parks: Powerful Voices for Civil Rights and Social Justice" unit module introduce young historians to four African-American women who made significant contributions to the modern civil rights movement....

The three case studies in the Becoming Us: Resistance unit module look at the individuals and groups who have resisted the antidemocratic forces of inequality and oppression. The Fighting For Freedom resource has young historians...

Excerpts from Reconstruction: America After the Civil War, Henry Louis Gates Jr.’s documentary series provide young historians with insight into the struggles the country faced in the years after the Civil war. Viewers learn about the...

The three lessons in the Civil War: Activity Pack collection provide young history detectives with an opportunity to examine artifacts the reveal African-American involvement in the United States Civil War. They watch videos to learn...

Five fact-filled lessons look at landmark Supreme Court Cases. Young scholars begin their study by examining the importance of these cases, key terms necessary for studying the court cases, and the relationship between court cases and...

Expand a celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday as well as Black History Month with a collection of eight worksheets that include biographical questions about Dr. Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks, word searches and word...

The mission statement of the National Museum of American History’s Becoming US: Teaching Immigration and Migration History in the 21st Century series is to provide “educational resources for high school teachers and students to learn...

The Becoming Us: Education module examines the history of the fight for racial justice and educational equity today. The first case study looks at the re-segregation of American schools, while the second explores the resistance to school...

Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow is the anchor text in a 10-lesson unit that looks at some of the issues of race and justice in American society and how issues have changed over time. High schoolers look at the history of race and...

His Soul Goes Marching On: The Life and Legacy of John Brown looks at an event that became an important part of United States history. The seven resources cover the raid, John Brown's life, his reactions to the event, as well as news...

Eight guides comprise the Core Knowledge seventh grade English Language Arts Curriculum Set. The guides, developed by the Core Knowledge Foundation, are designed “to advance excellence and equity in education for all children.” Unit 1...

Frederick Douglass's autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself, is the anchor text in a four-lesson unit module. High schoolers analyze how Douglass uses literary devices and...

A collection of 22 interactive resources provides learners with information about the United States federal courts. The pages are divided into five sections: The role of the federal courts; The organization of the federal courts; How the...

The first series of lessons in this unit module examines George Washington's contributions to the Revolutionary War and as the first president of the United States. Scholars also consider Washington as a slaveholder and discuss attitudes...

Seven lessons examine the Reconstruction Era that followed the United States Civil War. The series of detailed lessons provide background information on the era, teaching strategies, videos, and primary source materials.

Young historians examine song lyrics and slave narratives to uncover the realities of life for enslaved people. The six-lesson unit looks at the way enslaved people used music to provide hope, as well as to fight against oppression....

Four resources comprise a unit module designed for Octavia E. Butler's Kindred instructors to use in their classes. The first resource in the series, a packet designed for instructors, includes an overview of the unit, a day-to-day...

Three powerful, pertinent, and thought-provoking lessons make up the “The Color of Law: The Role of Government in Shaping Racial Inequity” unit. High schoolers examine primary sources, watch videos, and read testimonies that document how...

The mission of the Standing Up for Democracy unit is to bring about “a more humane, just, and compassionate society rooted in democratic values.” These 16 lessons, built on a foundation of mutual respect, tolerance, and participation,...